


Get A Clue

by December21st



Category: Castle
Genre: Castleland, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-24
Updated: 2013-03-24
Packaged: 2017-12-06 09:25:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/734117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/December21st/pseuds/December21st
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Murder's not a game.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ending A

**Author's Note:**

> In this 2010 writing challenge at LiveJournal's Castleland, titled "J'Accuse", we were asked to write short fic based on a handful of clues that were given to us, including the identities of the victim and three suspects.
> 
> Later, another Castleland challenge titled "Do Over" asked us to rewrite one of our previous Castleland stories, and I chose to rewrite this one. (Posted here as Chapter 2.)
> 
> And last but not least, this work is filled with references to something (you'll figure it out when you read the story.) See how many you can spot!

Beckett sits on her desk, staring at the murder board. Photos of the late Janet Body show her lying face-down on an Oriental rug in the study of her palatial Park Avenue home. “Lanie says the gunshot wound could have come from half the weapons in her collection; she’ll have more for us tomorrow.”

“Didn’t Lanie also say our victim wasn’t killed where she was found? That somebody moved her?” Castle asks, examining photos of the crime scene. The study is full of display cases containing a small arsenal of antique weapons. The top photo shows a dagger with an elaborate peacock blue hilt.

“Esposito? What do our witnesses have to say?” Beckett asks. They’ve already discussed the primary suspects and their motives.

“The unfortunately-named Ms. Body had six guests for dinner. Four members of the Parker family, in addition to Clark Michaels and Stacey Brown. The sister’s in San Francisco for the weekend. Body was trying to convince the brothers to sell their late father’s customized wrench business to her. When they heard the gunshot, the Parkers were all in the dining room, but neither Michaels nor Brown were there. The caterer’s assistant, Bitsy White, alibis all the Parkers, but get this: she let slip that her boyfriend is none other than Peter Williams.” Esposito reports.

“The guy Janet Body had arrested yesterday at the catering company for pickpocketing?”

“Yeah, Bitsy says she was going to beg Ms. Body to reconsider pressing charges, but she never got the chance.”

“What about the caterer?”

Ryan speaks up. “Guy named Geoffrey Green. He was in the hall, on the phone to his bookie. By the way, Lead Pipe Cinch is a sure thing in the Seventh. He says that he saw Miss. Brown go into the kitchen, and Michaels was in the lounge when the gunshot went off. He couldn’t tell where it came from – sound bounces around those big hallways like crazy. He swears that he could see the study door the whole time, and nobody came in or went out until they found the victim.”

“Then how did the murderer get out?” Beckett wonders aloud.

“A secret passage!” Castle exclaims enthusiastically. Beckett exchanges looks with Ryan and Esposito but when Castle insists on returning to the scene of the crime, it doesn't take him long to find the hidden corridor, the narrow passage revealing itself when he tugs on a mustard colored silk rope dangling from an elaborate tapestry.

Beckett takes the lead as she and Castle squeeze through the tight passageway, her flashlight revealing drag marks and drops of blood on the dusty floor. When they reach the end, Castle spots an antique revolver resting on a wooden beam just over the panel that opens into the larder of the mansion's kitchen.

"I know who did it!" Castle exclaims, turning to Beckett as he clambers out of the corridor. She nods, evidently having come to the same conclusion.

"It was Miss. Brown in the kitchen with the revolver!"


	2. Ending B

Beckett sits on her desk, staring at the murder board. Photos of the late Janet Body show her lying face-down on an Oriental rug in the study of her palatial Park Avenue home. “Lanie says the gunshot wound could have come from half the weapons in her collection; she’ll have more for us tomorrow.” 

“Didn’t Lanie also say our victim wasn’t killed where she was found? That somebody moved her?” Castle asks, examining photos of the crime scene. The study is full of display cases containing a small arsenal of antique weapons. The top photo shows a dagger with an elaborate peacock blue hilt.

“Esposito? What do our witnesses have to say?” Beckett asks. They’ve already discussed the primary suspects and their motives.

“The unfortunately-named Ms. Body had six guests for dinner. Four members of the Parker family, in addition to Clark Michaels and Stacey Brown. The sister’s in San Francisco for the weekend. Body was trying to convince the brothers to sell their late father’s customized wrench business to her. When they heard the gunshot, the Parkers were all in the dining room, but neither Michaels nor Brown were there. The caterer’s assistant, Bitsy White, alibis all the Parkers, but get this: she let slip that her boyfriend is none other than Peter Williams.” Esposito reports.

“The guy Janet Body had arrested yesterday at the catering company for pickpocketing?”

“Yeah, Bitsy says she was going to beg Ms. Body to reconsider pressing charges, but she never got the chance.”

“What about the caterer?”

Ryan speaks up. “Guy named Geoffrey Green. He was in the hall, on the phone to his bookie. By the way, Lead Pipe Cinch is a sure thing in the Seventh. He says that he saw Miss. Brown go into the kitchen, and Michaels was in the lounge when the gunshot went off. He couldn’t tell where it came from – sound bounces around those big hallways like crazy. He swears that he could see the study door the whole time, and nobody came in or went out until they found the victim.”

“Then how did the murderer get out?” Beckett wonders aloud.

Castle looks up from his examination of the crime scene photos. “Why would you only have one candlestick?”

“Why would you have any?” Esposito asks.

Castle gives him a look and hand a photo to Beckett. “ _This_ is an Asa Sidney Candlestick. They’re collector’s items. Very expensive. They only come in pairs. So why is there only one in the library?”

“Lanie did say that Ms. Body was knocked out with a blunt instrument of some sort before she was killed. Maybe Green wasn’t watching the door as closely as he said he was.” 

"I know who did it!" Castle exclaims, turning to Beckett. She nods, evidently having come to the same conclusion.

"It was Mr. Green in the library with the candlestick!"


End file.
